1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrical connector for use in the connection between electrical wires or between an electrical wire and electrical apparatus and, in particular, to an electrical connector adapted doubly to prevent inadvertent disengagement of a terminal connected thereto during use.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There have been prior art connectors that comprise a deflectable latching arm having notches inside its terminal accommodation chamber means in an insulated housing, with the notches being engaged with a recess or the shoulder of a terminal being connected.
With such connectors, it was difficult to manufacture a latching arm small enough to fit into the narrow terminal accommodation chamber means. The latching arm of such a restricted construction provided only a limited hold on the terminal within. There was a constant possibility that the tensile force on the electrical wire might damage or destroy the latching arm, inadvertently releasing the terminal during use.
FIGS. 9 and 10 illustrate an improvement over these conventional connectors. This apparatus, disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 58-44776, provides double latching of a terminal inside by having a spacer 7 inserted from behind the terminal 2 which is snugly fit in terminal accommodation chamber 1 of an insulated housing M, with a notch 9 of a terminal latching rod 8 engaged with a shoulder 3 of the terminal. In the figures, reference number 4 is a hole (recess) provided on the base of the terminal 2, and 5 is a latching arm having a notch 6 which fits in the hole 4.
The double latching construction of prior art terminals has relied mainly on the spacer 7 which is separate from the insulated housing M, the terminal accommodation chamber 1 incorporating the latching arm 5 alone to provide primary latching force to keep the terminal 2 in place.
The spacer 7 may be inserted even when the terminal 2 is not inserted all the way to its proper position, with the notch 6 disengaged from the hole 4. Thus, a forced insertion of the spacer 7 can damage the terminal 2 or latching arm 5. Furthermore, an improperly inserted spacer can be overlooked for lack of any apparently missing function at the time.